It is known to combine containers into container packs, to wrap those container packs with a plastic film, and to then shrink the plastic film in a shrink tunnel. Among the tasks to be carried out in the foregoing procedure is that of wrapping the container pack loosely with plastic film before it enters a shrink tunnel. A wrapping module carries out this task.
In known devices, the wrapping module receives a film segment and places it around the container pack as the container pack moves along a transport plane. In most cases, it receives a film segment that has been fed from below the transport plane. A first end of this film segment is first conveyed through a gap between two conveyors below the bottom end of the container pack. The entire container pack rests on this first end, some of which may protrude beyond the container pack. A carrier then conveys the remainder of the film segment from behind the container pack and around to a leading face of the container pack, thus wrapping the container pack at least in some regions thereof.
In order to do this, the carrier, with the film segment held, overtakes the container pack in the transport direction and guides the second end of the film segment towards the first end of the film segment. In order to allow the carrier to overtake, the container pack slows down. This reduces throughput.